There are so many ways to pick apart Waka Flocka's latest interview on Sway’s Universe; however, I want to focus on the theme of disassociation.

Outside of the hodgepodge of reasons Waka Flocka gave as to why he’s not Black, really what he’s trying to say is that he just doesn’t want to be Black. About five minutes into the interview he speaks of having no education or connection with African Americans. Claiming it's a “system” that’s connected to “hey, he’s a bad guy…”

And here’s where the problem lies.

Waka joins the list of folk who want to utilize “Black” for their personal benefit. The "others" who have this need to remove color, code switch for personal gain, and dismiss the history that’s embedded in the DNA, as if black skin is a trend that can be rotated when it suits them.

Fine, check the box.
That’s what you want to do, cool.

Yes, there are a lot of Brown and Black folk who may be purely indigenous to a place the Europeans call America; however, don’t walk around waving your “other” flag, talking about liberating people of color because the rest of us are quite clear on who we are and where our ancestry derives. I mean, what does an "other" experience look like?

It would behoove him and the “others” to speak on that life in their rhymes and reason, think pieces and think tanks, talk shows and podcasts. Don’t speak about the black experience, then claim other. Flash around that woke card as if it’s a badge of honor but disseminate incorrect information—a mismatch of facts and conjured beliefs. The desire for someone to agree with you or, at best, quantify the lies you told yourself to be true. I watched him ask questions seeking an answer that he didn’t know himself, but wanted to see if the “other” person knew. This is what happens when you want to be “other.” Other is just a passive option. It’s what someone claims or says when they don’t know, can’t pontificate, or really just doesn’t want a person in their business.

The issue with this interview is that he’s "other" and all over the place. Sharing random pockets of poop- that don’t make fertilizer. On top of not being able to explicate his perspective on why he’s not Black, he called himself ignorant and still tried to speak facts; then inadvertently leaned on the notion that since Columbus is Italian, therefore he is Italian.

If this is “woke,” let me stay sleep. One cannot be ignorant to the fact and then talk facts.That’s not how this works.

I’m over the no-teps and zombies claiming they're “woke,” piecemealing information and infusing it with their own personal bias to call it fact. I’m over dudes justifying every “poly” trait just to have side chicks and tribes of children they can’t afford. Hell-bent on claiming its African and that we must “get back to our roots.” Hell, I’m over these no-teps and zombies speaking of Africa as if she’s a country, not a continent. As if nothing else happened before the coming of Jesus. As if Egyptology, Yoruba, and Christianity didn’t exist at the same time on opposite ends of the continent. As if Africa doesn’t sit in the middle of the earth with its expanse across much of the circular shape. Yes, you no-tep zombie, East, and West Africa are real and Egypt is there too. The earth is round, not flat, and the Moon is muva.

They say sleep is the cousin of death, but I rather make acquaintance with the Azrael and Ikú and transition into a higher level of conscious, cause this mess right here is just that—a mess.

I don’t want to claim “woke” and I hope no one puts me in that category. There’s too much contradiction that lies there. Claiming African and other doesn’t make you woke. Wanting to marry multiple women for the sake of “economy” doesn’t make you woke and neither does trying to prove a woman’s menses is the devil. All of it is hogwash. Miss me with the B.S.

If you’re down with Waka Flocka and the “other” crew, don’t come into the hood telling these babies how to live a better life because it’s clear you have no clue where to start with your own. I am Black AF and regardless of where my eguns come from, I will always and forever, identify as Black.

Stay woke on that.

ShaVaughn Elle

Writing since July 2017 · 3 stories contributed